T5 7-day Programmable Specifications

5.4"
x
1.1"
x
3.9"

November

23

2016

085267 183413

Editorial Review

Did you know that Honeywell makes aerospace systems? Neither did we, but it seems appropriate given that they make thermostats that control the air space in your home. (Bada-bing!) Although Honeywell has made thermostats for years, they didn't invent the smart thermostat. That honor belongs to the Google-owned company Nest and the good folks at Honeywell, at least the ones who aren't busily designing aerospace systems, are probably kicking themselves for not doing it first, because Nest thermostats are selling like frozen yogurt in a heat wave. The Honeywell T5 RTH7560E is a brave attempt to replicate the Nest's functionality, even if it completely lacks the sense of style that Google's device brings to a well-appointed hallway.

The T5 has a no-nonsense, button-driven interface that's probably easier to use than the Nest's "twist-it-and-see-what-function-comes-up-next" approach, but it lacks the Nest's WiFi-capability that allows it to be controlled through a mobile app. So if you only set your thermostat in the hallway, it's probably the easier to operate of the two devices. If you'd rather operate your thermostat without getting out of bed first, the Nest gets the win. The T5, however, is programmable, so you can set the whole week's schedule and forget about it. Or it can learn your temperature-setting schedule and adjust itself accordingly, which gives it learning capabilities similar to the Nest's. So, basically, if you don't care about style and don't have a smartphone to run the app on, you'd probably prefer the T5. If you do care about style and would rather adjust the temp from a different room, get the Nest.

Honeywell and Nest aren't the only players in the smart thermostat game. The Ecobee3 2nd Generation, the Zen Thermostat and Honeywell's own Lyric 2nd Generation have style and smarts to spare, so factor them into your buying decision. But if economics are your central concern, note that the T5 is by far the cheapest of the bunch and has a lot of smarts for the price.